Takeaways: What's important from 49ers' thrilling loss to Rams

The unabashed lack of excitement leading up to the Thursday night contest between the Rams and 49ers was everywhere. What many thought was a game hardly worth watching quickly turned into a thrilling shootout between first-time head coaches Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay.

Los Angeles was able to escape Levi’s Stadium with a narrow 41-39 victory that came down to the final minutes. While the defense was the standout last week against the Seahawks, it was the offense Thursday that gave the 49ers a chance to win by scoring two touchdowns in the closing minutes of the final quarter.

Here are the meaningful takeaways from the 49ers’ loss to the Rams:

49ers need Pierre Garçon

The 49ers are among the youngest teams in the NFL and in the midst of a complete rebuild by John Lynch’s front office. Among the new regime’s first moves was signing Garçon, a veteran wideout with experience under Shanahan and a knack for consistency. Through three games, he’s shown exactly why he was the 49ers’ premier free agent signing at receiver.

(Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

While he struggled Sunday in Seattle, as most wideouts do, Garçon put on a show Thursday with a strong performance against a talented Rams defense. The team’s leading receiver reeled in seven receptions on 10 targets for 142 yards. Garçon had a beautiful 59-yard catch over cornerback Trumaine Johnson along with a toe-tapping completion that had to be reviewed by the officials after it was initially ruled incomplete.

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